Gaming as a Learning Tool

Donna Millard
200788438

Games have been used as a learning tool forever, but the context of gaming—playing video games or similar devices—as a learning tool is fairly new to this field. Several theories in last few years have cropped up in the literature surrounding gaming as a learning device. According to McDougall (2007, 122) gaming is at a “theoretical crossroad.”

Situated learning theory proposed by Lave and Wenger link gaming with learning due to its social community aspect and the potential to learn. Especially in the context of MMOs (Massively Multiplayer Online games), the individual learns from the community of gamers and then applies what is learned in their real life to develop as an individual. Games such as World of Warcraft and Lineage develop such communities. (Delwiche, 2006) Becker (2007, 481) supports this as well by stating:

“…even very young learners are capable of managing staggering degrees of complexity, failure really is an option and does not necessarily mitigate against learning, and that game players value exploration and collaboration in games as well as competition and winning.”

Steinkuehler furthers this theory by supporting what she terms “Learning Sciences” which includes activity theory, discourse theory, distributed cognition, situated learning and more. Learning Sciences focuses on the concept of cognition as “interaction in the social and material world”. (Steinkuehler, 2004, 522) Gamers develop a community of practice which aids the individual to develop not only their minds but also their sense of community, culture, and body. Games have been found to improve not only visual and spatial skills but also problem solving skills. (Schmidt, 2008)

Becker (2007) goes on to comment that games provide that safe environment to offer a constructivist approach using inquiry based learning skills. Students are learning better being involved in the process and not being passive recipients to the knowledge. Gaming is just one tool that can be used by a teacher to find a common ground that both the student and teacher are comfortable working within. Delwiche (2006) further supports the linkage between student and teacher as gaming provides an opportunity for high engagement that will help the student learn more; if they are motivated by what the teacher can provide, they will learn and apply what they learn in other situations.

As with all learning tools, however, the development needs to link back to the pedagogical philosophy . What is the actual lesson being taught to the student? Are they learning what they’re supposed to be learning? “Designing learning environments is not merely a matter of getting the curricular material right but is crucially also a matter of getting the situated, emergent community structures and practices “right.” (Steinkuehler, 2004, 527) The balance has to be made to get the appropriate learning experience.

Sources

Becker, K. (2007). Digital game-based learning once removed: teachingteachers. British Journal of Educational Technology, 38(3), 478-488. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8535.2007.00711.x

Delwiche, A. Massively multiplyer online games (MMOs) in the new mediaclassroom. Educational Technology & Society, 9(3), 160-172. http://www.ifets.info/journals/9_3/14.pdf

McDougall, J. (2007). What do we learn in Smethwick Village? Computer games, media learning and discursive confusion. Learning,Media and Technology, 32(2), 121-133, doi: 10.1080/17439880701343071

Schmidt, M.E. & Vandewater, E.A. (2008). Media and attention,cognition, and school achievement. The Future of Children, 18(1),63-85. http://www.futureofchildren.org

Steinkuehler, C.A. (2004) Learning in massively multiplayer online games. InKafai, Y. B., Sandoval, W. A., Enyedy, N., Nixon, A. S. & Herrera, F. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 6th International Conference of the Learning Sciences, Mahwah, NJ, USA: Erlbaum, 521-528. http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1149190